Just 30 mins a day?

[TheRocketeer]

What do you folks think of just taking something like the Pete Plan workouts and then chopping them all in half?

[gregsmith01748]

What do you mean by cutting them in half? If you mean, reducing the number of reps, that seems like a good idea. If you are talking about shrinking the distances, then I think it would change the nature of the program.

[TheRocketeer]

What do you mean by cutting them in half? If you mean, reducing the number of reps, that seems like a good idea. If you are talking about shrinking the distances, then I think it would change the nature of the program.

That's a helpful distinction. Reducing the number of intervals would work for the interval-based workouts. Could I just cut the distance in half for the long distance work?

[gooseflight]

Could I just cut the distance in half for the long distance work?

You could, but it wouldn't be long distance any more

Point is that plans are devised on an holistic basis. If you start chopping and changing: a) it's no longer The Plan; and b) you have to re-evaluate everything to determine whether or not the butchered version gives you the best bang for your buck, i.e., it might be better changing to something altogether different.

[gregsmith01748]

What do you mean by cutting them in half? If you mean, reducing the number of reps, that seems like a good idea. If you are talking about shrinking the distances, then I think it would change the nature of the program.

That's a helpful distinction. Reducing the number of intervals would work for the interval-based workouts. Could I just cut the distance in half for the long distance work?

no.

The long distance work is designed to provide the training stimulus to improve endurance. The amount of progress that is made in endurance training is related to the amount of time spent at a relatively low intensity. In other words rowing hard for 15 minutes is not the same as rowing less hard for 30 minutes. The best thing you can do for the long distance workouts is to row for as much time as you have on that day at a reasonable pace.

By the way, the plan that I posted on this thread here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=151045&start=15#p387721

Is how I would adapt the Pete Plan to a 30 minute time limit.

[TheRocketeer]

By the way, the plan that I posted on this thread here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=151045&start=15#p387721

Is how I would adapt the Pete Plan to a 30 minute time limit.

That's helpful.

On this:

Easy day: 30 minute row at a moderate pace. If you use HR, stay below 75% HRR. If you don't use HR, do it at about 55% to 60% of 2k test watts

What does a "moderate pace" mean for those of us not using HRR? Are these the same stroke rate targets as the Pete Plan's steady distance pieces (22-25spm)?

[jackarabit]

Your 2k power in watts x .55~.6. Convert result to pace if you prefer.

Yes.

[Edward4492]

Roy, great answer! The whole point of long distance is......long distance.

Back to the subject at hand, I'm a couple of weeks into a low volume, high intensity approach. Too early to tell, but I seem to be heading in the right direction. Posted about this previously, work out details on the daily training thread. The gist of it:

work out 1: (10) x 30s/ 2 1/2min rest (that's correct, long rest)
work out 2: 5000m at recovery pace
work out 3: 4000m hard for time, alternate every other week (2) x 2000m, hard but not PR pace
work out 4: 5000m at recovery pace
work out 5: (8) x 250m/ 3min rest
work-out 6: (4) x 2500m' 1min rest, solid endurance pace

With soft paddling during the rest periods works out to about 40k per week. Other than the 6th workm out, about 30 - 40min max. The caveat here is that I'm coming off of 6 months of solid base, 1000k in the spring all endurance meters on the erg followed by close to another 1000k OTW, about 10% hard, the rest relatively easy. There's no real established precedent here, my plan here is to take very long rests so that each interval can be done fresh. Then the 4000m is a nice piece for sitting right at threshold.

I'll do a 2k test in a couple of weeks. That will tell me where I'm at.

[jamesg]

Has anyone tried something similar?

Done nothing else for years, and then only 3-4 days a week. I use the first half of Interactive 5-day plans and each "week" is 9-10 days, total distances 25 to 40 km.

If we see the erg as a means and not an end, it's all very simple. I want to walk or bike to walk a few miles, or swim one and all at short notice, and not die of blocked pipes. So far so good.

[gooseflight]

What do you mean by cutting them in half? If you mean, reducing the number of reps, that seems like a good idea.

I don't think you can cut the reps without cutting the rest, e.g., 4 x 500m on 3:30 rest would hardly raise a sweat. Probably better to ditch it and row 10 x 1 min on/off.

[teddyDK]

What if one only have 45 min 3 days a week?

[left coaster]

10K's and under with lots of time to warm up and cool down. You could probably do most of the Pete Plan with 45 minutes a day... I'm not sure you would really make progress with 3 days but it would probably be enough to maintain if you went hard each session.

I generally don't do more than 45 minutes on the erg, just get too bored. If I'm training 2 on, one off, I generally make good and steady gains. Working myself back from a too-long break currently and doing the 2 on 1 off thing. So long as I'm working hard I know I'll make progress -- I spent too much time over thinking my training in the early days.

[aussieluke]

What if one only have 45 min 3 days a week?

With 3 x 45' I'd do something like two low-rate 45' UT2/1 ish pieces and one truly hard interval session, maybe rotating 8x500m and 4x1000m on a weekly basis.

[teddyDK]

10K's and under with lots of time to warm up and cool down. You could probably do most of the Pete Plan with 45 minutes a day... I'm not sure you would really make progress with 3 days but it would probably be enough to maintain if you went hard each session.

I generally don't do more than 45 minutes on the erg, just get too bored. If I'm training 2 on, one off, I generally make good and steady gains. Working myself back from a too-long break currently and doing the 2 on 1 off thing. So long as I'm working hard I know I'll make progress -- I spent too much time over thinking my training in the early days.

Many endurance athletes that i know make fine progress with 3 times a week. Not World class or something but still ok. So Why not?
When i was a runner many years ago i train 3-4 times a week and still did HM around 1:30

[teddyDK]

What if one only have 45 min 3 days a week?

With 3 x 45' I'd do something like two low-rate 45' UT2/1 ish pieces and one truly hard interval session, maybe rotating 8x500m and 4x1000m on a weekly basis.

Thanks